Some custom builds strut like peacocks; others reveal their charms slowly. This is one of the slow burners, a seemingly innocuous CB550 that has been assembled with a great deal of craft and thought.
It comes from furniture designer Mike Gustafson, who also wields a grinder when operating under the moniker of MONNOM Customs. He first came to our attention three years ago when he built a CB350 with wooden bodywork.

That was his second build; this is his fourth. The ?M4? project began when Mike got a call from a client wanting to commission a custom. ?We both agreed that an understated, refined, comfortable and classic build was what we were after,? he says. ?And the Honda CB550 is the perfect platform for such an idea.?
The search was on for a donor bike. And after a few days of hunting around, Mike spotted a prospect in a local classified ad. A late night meeting in a cold garage in rural Iowa paid off, and he bought a 1976 Honda CB550 scattered across many boxes. ?The good stuff was there,? he recalls. ?Well…most of the stuff I needed, anyway.?
Mike began work on the engine. The motor was completely torn down and rebuilt, with lots of fresh parts including pistons, rings, and gaskets. A fresh lapping of the valves and a cylinder hone got everything nice and crisp internally.
An electronic ignition by Dyna was also added to complement two new Dyna ignition coils. The process of hand polishing the aluminum engine cases was next: wet sanding, wet sanding, and ...